"The story of the Lake Forest Symphony is that of evolution and progress just as are the stories of these composers," Kulenovic said. Haydn, who wrote 104 symphonies, was Beethoven's teacher and influenced him, Kulenovic said. "And Brahms continued the work of Beethoven."

Kulenovic is taking the audience along to hear symphonies of these great composers and getting to know their music, said Susan Lape, the symphony's executive director."

Review by Jodie Jacobs for the Examiner - "a lot of credit also has to go to newly hired conductor Vladimir Kulenovic who brought forth terrific shading in the less than glamorous Beethoven 8 Symphony in F major in the first half. Together, orchestra, conductor and then, Draiblate, made beautiful music." - click here to read the article

Vladimir Kulenovic, Netanel Draiblate and the Lake Forest Symphony

Lake Forest Symphony held its annual benefit at the Onwentsia Club in Lake Forest. Read more about the presentation of the Golden Baton Award, performance by the Music Director of the Symphony Vladimir Kulenovic, Concertmaster Netanel Draiblate and Principal Bassoonist Drew Pattison, and Lake Forest Symphony’s Educational Initiatives.

How does a regional orchestra find a new music director? That was the challenge facing the 57-year-old Lake Forest Symphony, located in this wealthy suburb 32 miles north of Chicago on the shore of Lake Michigan.

After a painstaking process, five young men were selected to conduct one pair of subscription concerts each in the 2013-14 season. Just days after the final concert in mid-May, Chicago’s classical radio station WFMT (98.7FM) announced that the choice was Serbian-born Vladimir Kulenovic, 34, associate conductor of the Utah Symphony and resident conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic.

WFMT produced a short radio feature about each of the five finalists. And each of the resultant five features, in addition to giving a portrait of the conductor, highlighted a different aspect of the search.

The annual benefit dinner of the Solti Foundation U.S. was held in October. The 2015 Solti Conducting Fellow Award was presented to Vladimir Kulenovic, music director of the Lake Forest Symphony. click here to read more

Watch the 60' Serbian National TV feature on Vladimir, filmed in Belgrade in 2014

Thanks to Forest & Bluff for lots of great Symphony coverage in the November issue!

"Lake Forest Symphony patrons have seen Vladimir Kulenovic with that orchestra three times now. Initially in September of 2013, he was the first of five finalists for the post of music director and permanent conductor of the professional Lake County orchestra.

He set the bar extremely high when he conducted Stravinsky's "Firebird" suite, but some feared that since he was the opening conductor he might be forgotten by the time the concert series concluded the following May.

Not only was he remembered, he was the chosen one.

Back in the James Lumber Center at the College of Lake County last fall, he reminded us not only of his bella figura on the podium, but his ability to draw forth the prodigious talent of the orchestra, which is filled with A-list freelancers from throughout the Chicago area."